Philippine Army partners with civil groups, NGO to fight abuses and violence against women

Jane Bernardo, CSO Forum president, listens to Colonel Benito de Leon during the consultation on the elimination of violence against women in Iligan City on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2008.

ILIGAN CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Nov. 26, 2008) - “Sexual violence is outlawed in the Armed Forces of the Philippines even in times of war or armed conflict”.

This was the message of Army Col. Benito de Leon, commander of 104th Infantry Brigade, speaking during the “Observance of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women” held in Iligan City by the Gender Equality Network for Peace (GEN4PEACE) in cooperation with the Civil Society Organization (CSO) Forum for Peace and the British Embassy.
The activity was organized in consonance with UN Security Council Resolution No. 1820 covering the issues on rape and sexual violence in conflict situations. Adopting the theme “Women, Peace, and Security: Issues of Rape and other Forms of Sexual Abuse in Times of War,” the consultation was attended by the delegates from the 13 NGO-member groups of the CSO Forum with its president, Jane Bernardo, and participated in by the military and police.

Commissioner Anita Sescon, of the Mindanao Commission on Women Forum, provided the inputs for the UN Resolution. On the other hand, lawyer Florante Ursua, of the Commission on Human Rights, spoke on the responsibility of the government to prevent human rights violations.

In responding to concerns that women have been portrayed as a booty of war and that the incidence of sexual molestations were high during times of armed conflicts, De Leon explained that the notion of war booties were things of the past long gone by. “As societies became more civil, laws and norms were adopted to forbid this practice. The military, aside from the existing criminal laws, enforces the punitive Articles of War governing the conduct of military personnel,” he said.

Furthermore, De Leon also clarified that other measures are in place to ensure that members of the military observe the prohibitions as provided in our legal system including the adoption of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Code of Ethics outlining the professional conduct, the inclusion of all these as discussion points in military education courses, and the regular conduct of troop information.

“Commanders at all levels have to see that these are all observed and enforced. All abuses or violations of the law, including rape or violence on women, committed by any military personnel at any given time especially during times of conflict will not be tolerated by the AFP,” he said. (With a report from Merlyn Manos)

NGO Slams Philippines Judge Advocate General’s Office

Shot in the forehead and an eye missing, one of eight victims killed by soldiers in Sulu province. Below, Muslims protest the killings in Sulu. (Photo by Area Coordinating Center, Sulu Provincial Government)

MANILA, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Feb. 29, 2008) - The Children’s Rehabilitation Center criticized the Armed Forces of the Philippines Judge Advocate General’s Office (JAGO) for exonerating the soldiers involved in the massacre of civilians, including 2 children and a pregnant woman, in Sulu province early this month.

“The AFP has done it again. It has used its usual excuse of “legitimate encounter” to escape accountability over the loss of civilian lives during military operations,” Ma. Esmeralda Macaspac, Executive Director of the Children’s Rehabilitation Center, said in a statement.

Macaspac also said that operations against the Abu Sayyaf Group have become a convenient excuse whenever human rights violations are committed against civilians in Mindanao, particularly in Muslim areas. “They disregard the damage to lives, limbs and property. They even disregard the findings of investigations by human rights groups and even the Commission on Human Rights.”

She said the exoneration of the soldiers was a move to prevent further antagonizing the soldiers in the midst of rumours of military unrest.

“The last thing that the Arroyo government needs right now, especially with a fragmented military, is to further rock the boat. This further shows that at whatever cost, they will trudge any path just to appease the military men and keep themselves in power. And this they do at the expense of the human rights of the people.”

Macaspac lauded the CHR for endorsing the filing of criminal charges against the soldiers in civilian court. She however cautioned the relatives of the victims not to pin much hope on winning the case because of the current state of the Philippine justice system.

“Seeking justice is part of the healing process of victims and their relatives. While we encourage the victims and the relatives to go through the process, we don’t encourage them to consider the court as the “end all and be all” of getting justice. They should also seek other means to attain justice,” she said.

“In the end, the success of their coping would depend on their own strength, enhanced by their social support network, and how they use this strength to change the crisis situation they are in."
The Children's Rehabilitation Center is a non-government organization providing direct psycho-social help to children victims of human rights violations.

2 NGO Workers Seized In Troubled Mindanao Province

NORTH COTABATO (Mindanao Examiner / 06 Nov) - Masked gunmen seized two people working for a non-government organization in the troubled Mindanao province of North Cotabato, the official Philippine News Agency reported on Monday.

It said gunmen clad in camouflage uniform snatched the duo - Mary Bernadette Solitario, 21, and Lourelie Naiz, 22 - in Batang village in the town of Tulunan on Saturday.

No group claimed responsibility for the kidnappings, but the two, working for the Disaster Response Center (DIRECT) in Davao City, were on their way to investigate recent clashes between troops and communist insurgents.

The town's mayor, Nestor Taasan, has confirmed the kidnappings and said the duo had been taken by motorcycle gunmen, the report said.

"The workers were scheduled to monitor and evaluate last November 4 a DIRECT project in remote Barangay Batang where clashes between government troops and New People's Army rebels were going on when they were abducted," it said.

No group claimed responsibility for the kidnapping. The Interfaith Alliance for the Advancement of People's Rights (IFAAPR), a local human rights group, has condemned the incident.

"Such matter is a clear manifestation of human rights violation," IFAAPR senior officer Pastor Ernesto Estrella said.

Solitario is a native of General Santos City while Naiz is from Kidapawan City, all in Mindanao. There were no immediate statements from the police and military about the kidnappings, but the town was the scene of clashes last week between government soldiers and insurgents, who raided a military detachment and carted 21 assorted weapons.

The province was also bombed twice last month by suspected Abu Sayyaf militants where six people had been killed and more than 40 others wounded. (Mindanao Examiner)